Coonskin

So every Tuesday my course allows the students access to the on-campus cinema where we were treated to our first film, Ralph Bakshi's infamous 1975 movie: Coonskin. If you haven't heard of the film, I don't blame you, it was banned almost immediatly after it was first shown and has had several name changes from 'Bustin' Out' and 'Street Fight' to 'Coonskin no more'.
To read on about the movie, click the link below! But be warned, it's NSFW
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At first (and from the rumours and media who never watched it), it's easy to think the film is a racial slight against African-Americans. What a lot of people don't know is that the movie is actually aimed at black audiences and made to make 'white folk' uncomfortable in their seats (there's one scene where a white couple are telling a black woman how they 'get' the plight of the African American people, when they clearly don't). What made it funnier was The Congress of Racial Equality - the group that banned the film from view, none of it's members had even watched the film, going purely on rumours and the hype put out by the media at the time!
Ralf Bakshi even said himself, in an interview

"The film isn't anti-black, it was intended to be anti-idiot".

After actually watching through the movie, you'll see it plays with a lot of the issues black people had to deal with in the 70's, from crookerd racist cops to con-artists trying to fool the black community into a fake cause. The cartoon itself also parodies Disney's Song of the South, with a much less child-friendly theme to it.Heck, nearly all the animators and writers were black!
In this movie you get a rabbit, bear and fox - but they're chums known as 'Brother Rabbit', 'Brother Fox (preacher)' and Brother Bear, as they make their way from the racist south to the streets of Harlem and build a name for themselves in the criminal underworld, dealing with bent police, racists, con-merchants and the mafia. Like I said...not very child friendly, and that's without all the sex, drugs, violence and tits all over the place throughout!
The start of the movie is similar to Song of the South, beginning with a story told with actors in live footage film. As a preacher and friend try to bust their pal out of prison. While the convict is waiting to be picked up, the guy who helped him out passes the time with a story about our three animated anti-heros.


America seen here as a hooker, who constantly (and violently) rejects this black man's advances for love and companionship, can you say 'metaphor'?

Behind the actual story of 3 brothers rising to the top, there's obviously a lot of subject matter on black oppression, as seen here.

Here, Brother Rabbit pleads not to be thrown in the briar patch garbage can.

Though blacks aren't the only ones comically stereotyped, the cast of ethnicities ranges from the Italian mafia to Jews and even pokes fun at homosexuals.

"Oi vey! What a cartoon!"

Another great reference to the Disney classic. Brother Rabbit knows he's going to be 'hit' by the mafia. So he makes a tar decoy.

Look familiar? He even hops past them and says " hey how are you?".

"I'm gonna count to two, and if you don't say 'hello' back, I'mma bust you up! ..onetwo!"
The movie at the time gained HUGE success from black audiences and Bakshi even stated that he thought it was his best work.
I liked the movie and it sheds a great light on the hardships African Americans had to deal with in the 70's, and some of it still reins true today.
Bakshi had BIG ideas and concepts for the movie, but unfortunately was held back by a budget and it definitely shows. As an independent film though I strongly suggest you find this rare gem and give it a watch!

Stay tuned for my next review that will be Animal Farm  by Halas and Batchelor!